Worlds Apart
by Driftstar-Leader of TreeClan
Summary: Dimentio's ultimate goal has always been to create a perfect world, and anyone who has finished Super Paper Mario knows that he failed miserably. But what if Dimentio's reasons for destroying everything were... different than what they seemed? NOTE: THIS STORY IS BEING SLIGHTLY REWRITTEN, BUT WILL CONTINUE.
1. The Fight Begins

Worlds Apart Chapter One: The Fight Begins

"LET GO OF ME!" the fifteen-year-old shapeshifter shrieked.

"NO! If you're going down, I'm going down with you!"

Mimi would have stomped the ground, were it not for the fact that she was hanging in the air, being held by a pink princess. "Stop being so stubborn! I mean, seriously, you were like just trying to kill me!"

"I wasn't going to kill you! And you're not going to die now either!" Peach suddenly gasped. "M-my grip is s-slipping!"

"Good," Mimi replied haughtily. "My arm is starting to hurt."

"You're so selfish!" Peach wheezed. Before she could lecture the girl any more, however, the void gave off another tremor, causing Peach to let go of the ledge she was hanging onto.

Both Mimi and Peach screamed loudly as they plunged into the darkness below them. After what seemed like an hour, they finally landed with a soft _thud_ on something, well… soft.

Mimi made a small confused "huh?" before leaping off of the… couch. We're in the living room?" she exclaimed. "How… what… But we were like, just in the foyer!"

She looked back to find that Peach was still lying on the couch. With closer examination, Mimi found out she was unconscious. "Well, that's okay, she was annoying anyway!" Mimi said rather chipperly. She teleported upstairs to the hallway that held the minions' rooms, hoping to find Dimentio.

She quickly arrived at his bedroom door. Jumping up and down, she knocked on the door and called, "Dimentio!"

Luckily, she'd come at the right time; he hadn't left yet. He opened the door, looking weary.

Mimi retold her entire fight, and warned Dimentio that the Mario brothers were on their way in practically one breath.

Dimentio thanked her and made to leave, a grim look still on his face.

"Come back soon, okay?" she whispered. "I don't want to worry that you've gotten hurt if you take too long."

Dimentio paused, though he was still facing away from Mimi. He drew a deep breath and spoke in a quiet, solemn voice, "I'll do my best, Mimi. If I do not make it back, however, I would like you to know," he turned towards her again and looked deep into her eyes. "You're my best friend. I'll never forget you."

Mimi giggled and blushed at that statement. Pulling him into a tight hug, she replied, "Oh, Dimmy, I just _know_ you'll beat them! You're really strong _and _you've got magic!"

He pulled away slightly so he could look at her. He moved his hands to the sides of her face and stroked her cheeks, whispering ever so lightly, "Goodbye, Mimi." He backed away and drew a box around himself, teleporting to the interior of the castle.

Mimi stood alone in the hallway, feeling a shiver travel up her spine at Dimentio's last statement. He had told her goodbye. Not just a simple 'goodbye, see you later!' type of farewell. He had said it with an absolutely solemn face. No jokes, no laughter, no joy, just, "Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Dimentio." She whispered in return. For some reason, she felt like this would be the last time she would say something like that to him.

* * *

"Ahahaha! And now, to have some fun!"

Dimentio finally arrived at the room the Count had assigned to him. It was a ways into the interior of the castle, with many traps in the rooms leading up to it.

_Stupid Count, _he thought. _Splitting us all up like this. If he truly cared about his minions like he says he does, he would have let us all fight together, so we could help one another if we fell. But no, we each get our own separate rooms, far enough away so we won't be able to hear each other's cries for help if we need it. He's willing to let his so-called precious minions fall one by one. To make it worse, he's going to let himself be killed at the end of all of this, just because of some stupid girlfriend he had in the past. _

A slightly insane smile made its way onto Dimentio's face. "Let him die," he laughed. "He doesn't deserve to make people suffer anymore."

A creak sounded behind him, and Dimentio whipped around, turning invisible in the process. One of the large doors at the end of the room opened up, and two heroes walked in; the brothers, Mario and Luigi. Snickering inside his head, Dimentio thought about ending both of their games right then and there. Of course, that would go against his plan. Not the Count's plan, _his_ plan. So, instead, he waited. They brothers approached him, walking through what they thought to be just another empty room.

"_Aha ha ha ha!"_

Both brothers whipped their heads upwards towards the cold laugh, looking around for the source of the noise.

"_You're a bit far from home, don't you think?"_ As Dimentio watched the brothers cower in confusion, he prepared for the next part of his plan by moving silently behind them and making himself visible.

"It's him, bro." Luigi shivered. "It's that freaky Diment-gah!" The younger brother was cut off abruptly as Dimentio grabbed him from behind. Mario spun around and immediately was on top of the young jester, kicking him in the stomach. Dimentio cried out and let go of Luigi, involuntarily curling up to protect his stomach from further damage.

He groaned, slowly got up, and floated high above the two brothers, deciding to find a different way to get Luigi alone.

"Come down and fight, you bully!" Mario cried, fists raised in a fighting position. Luigi was lying on the floor.

Dimentio snapped his fingers and a large explosion threw Mario off of his feet. "How about your scrawny little excuse for a brother fights me up here?" he laughed. "After all, he has the ability to jump this high, does he not?"

"Scrawny?" Mario exclaimed. "Luigi is anything but!"

Dimentio laughed. Yes, insults would work. "Can the poor mutt not defend himself? Or does he rely completely on his older brother?"

"Quiet, you big jerk!" Luigi yelled.

"Ahahahaha! Such bold words from a man who used to be one of us!" Dimentio smiled broadly. This was fun.

Luigi jumped up. "At least I'm not a mindless slave any more, serving that freaky Count!"

Dimentio's head snapped towards the younger Mario Brother, a look of pure fury in his eyes. He hated how tables could turn so easily.

"_**I am not a mindless slave**__!" I never have been, and I __**never**__ will be! "__**I, on my own, am more cunning, deceitful, devious, and intelligent than both of you combined will ever be**__!"_ He took a deep breath, trying to conceal his rage and hatred. Like most 17-year-old boys, this was something he struggled with. He needed to hurry up and separate these two.

"I seriously doubt that." Mario laughed. "Honestly, you're like fifteen years younger than us. Now, hurry up and fight or we'll just leave."

Another explosion threw the brothers to the ground.

"Are you too much of a wimp to fight, Mario? Or are you just protecting your little shaggy-'stache brother?"

Luigi's head snapped up at that last statement. He whispered to Mario, "He insulted my moustache, bro. You know how sensitive I am about my moustache."

Mario only nodded in reply, and Luigi stood up.

"You've taken it too far, Dimentio," Luigi said, with bravery that matched that of Mr.L's. Turning to Mario, he said, "You can leave now, bro. This is MY fight."

"But Luigi," Mario reasoned. "You remember…"

"Yes, bro, I remember what happened to Peach and Bowser. But I'll just have to be careful, that's all."

Seeing the fire building in his brother's eyes, Mario grinned. "Alright, bro. Don't take too long!" And with that, Mario left the room, leaving Dimentio and Luigi alone.

Dimentio was still high above Luigi's head, leaning back against thin air and yawning. He gasped as he was suddenly pulled from the air and slammed onto the ground.

Luigi was leaning over him. "Get up," he growled. "And fight."

"Yes, sir," Dimentio sneered mockingly. He rose into the air once again, but this time staying level with Luigi. The smile on his mask grew and he charged up a block of magic in his hand, glowing with dark energy.

Luigi assumed a battle stance, brimming with rage and endurance.

Both sides collided at once, beginning the fight.

* * *

Mimi was sitting on her bed, legs pulled close to her chest and arms wrapped around them. She couldn't seem to vanquish the thought that Dimentio might die and she'd never see him again.

_Is he going to try to commit suicide? _ She thought. _What if he lets those stupid heroes beat him? But why would he do that? Is he sad? Did I do something to him? Does he know something I don't? Is he scared about the end of all worlds? Is he going to try to stop the Count? No, no, no, Dimmy would never betray us. Or would he? Gah, I just don't know!_

Finally, she couldn't bear it any longer. She had to find out if Dimentio was going to be alright. Hopping off of her bed, she made to teleport to Dimentio, when she realized she had no idea which room Count Bleck had assigned him to. The interior of Castle Bleck was practically a maze, and before she'd become used to the layout of the castle, she'd often gotten lost there. Taking a deep breath, Mimi took off for the inner rooms of the castle.

* * *

Dimentio threw three orbs of magic at Luigi, rising above his head.

Luigi twisted about, successfully dodging each one, then super-jumping to Dimentio's height and landing a few blows to his face and shoulders. One of his legs aimed too low, however, and Dimentio was able to grab it and fling Luigi to the ground.

Dimentio laughed and snapped his fingers, creating two clones of himself. All three Dimentios whizzed around Luigi's head, creating a game of 'hit or miss' for the older man.

Deciding against making choices, Luigi pulled out a Thunder Rage, and activated it.

After an intimidating pause, lightning bolts came from nowhere and struck all three Dimentios, the real one falling to the ground in a pile.

Dimentio clutched his head as the world spun around him, but managed to rise back into the air. He shook his head rapidly and glared at Luigi.

Said hero yowled as a sudden explosion threw him to the floor. A second explosion made him rocket to the other side of the room. Luigi wearily rolled onto his back, finding Dimentio's jester mask right in front of his face. He yelped and scurried backwards, only to back into a wall, trapped, with Dimentio in close proximity and closing in fast.

The jester raised his hands into the air, and before Luigi could move, he found himself trapped in a transparent yellow box. Crying out, Luigi pounded hopelessly on the side of the encasement. His attempts of escape were in vain, however, and turning around revealed that Dimentio too was inside of the box.

_Crap, _Luigi thought. _He's planning on killing me inside of a tiny little box, where no one can hear my screams… _

Dimentio laughed coldly, producing an odd echoing sound as it bounced off the close walls of the box. "And, now, for the grand finale of the Ultimate Show! The disappearing act! With a snap of my fingers, both you and I will be gone with the wind!" He pursed his thumb and middle finger together, getting ready to snap, when the door to the room suddenly flew open.

A loud gasp was heard, followed by, "Dimmy?" Mimi ran over to the box, tears beginning to form in her eyes. "Oh, Dimmy, I just knew it! I knew something was wrong!" She pounded on the side of the box. "Please, Dimentio, don't do this! You can't just take your own life like this! What happened to the perfect worlds, Dimmy? You have your own perfect world ahead of you! Please, don't do it!" By now the young shapeshifter was sobbing, and she pressed her hands to the glass-like wall.

Dimentio leaned down next to Mimi. Chuckling, he said in a low voice, "Mimi, where I'm going, I assure you I'll have more than just a perfect world. Why, I'll practically be living in paradise!" He turned to Luigi, who was rocking back and forth hysterically. "What do you say, Luigi? Shall we go?" And with that, he snapped his fingers.

The sounds of explosions sounded in time with the ominous rumbling of the void, and a single, high-pitched wail split the air.


	2. A Different Man

Worlds Apart Chapter Two: A Different Man

Mario winced as the sound of explosions erupted from behind the giant double doors. With a glance at Tippi, he sprang forward, grabbing the door handles in an attempt to rip them open. They wouldn't budge, however.

"It's locked!" Mario exclaimed. He began to yank on the handles, trying desperately to open them. "It's _locked!_"

"Mario! _Mario!_" Tippi interjected. "Mario, calm down!"

He leaned against the wall and slumped to the ground, putting his hands to his face in anguish. "First Bowser, then Peach, and now… my own brother have all fallen to the Count's minions."

Tippi fluttered downwards and landed on Mario's hat. "I know how you feel, Mario; how it feels to lose a loved one…"

He glanced up at her; nodding slowly, before sighing, "How am I supposed to defeat Count Bleck alone? Aren't there supposed to be _four_heroes in the prophecy? I'm only one! How could the prophecy be fulfilled without the other three?"

It was Tippi's turn to sigh. "I know it's difficult, Mario, but we just have to keep pressing on. Every world depends on us, and if we don't get a move on, every world will end."

Mario looked up. "You're right, Tippi." A fire of determination worked its way into his eyes. "I'll avenge their deaths, every one of them! Not just my friends, but all of the people who died because of the void! And most of all, I'll save every world from perishing."

* * *

Mimi screamed as the force of the explosion threw her backwards. She landed flat on her back, a few feet from where Dimentio's box had been. Despite the new-found pain in her back, she quickly scurried over to the spot where the explosion had taken place. Where Dimentio and Luigi had once been, there was only a pile of ashes.

Leaning down, Mimi sifted through the black ash, tears slowly streaming down her face. She suddenly uncovered something from the pile, and after further examination, she found it was a charred piece of Dimentio's hat. She took the large piece of fabric into her hands and as she turned it over, it jingled slightly. Seeing the blackened purple and yellow colors, she clutched it close to her chest, and began to sob.

"Dimmy," she choked. "Why? Why would you do that? I know you're strong enough to defeat the heroes so," she drew in a shaky breath. "Why would you kill yourself too?"

* * *

Two figures stealthily appeared in a small, green dimension. The first one was unconscious. The second was hovering slightly off the ground and carrying the first in his arms.

Heaving a sigh of relief, the second figure set the first one down on the ground and whispered, "I'll be back for you later." He suddenly put a hand to his head and muttered under his breath, "Crap… I left my hat behind."

That was quickly fixed, however, as, with a snap of his fingers; another hat magically appeared on his head.

He turned to leave, throwing one last glance over his shoulder.

"See you soon… Mr. L."

* * *

Count Bleck paced the meeting room in anticipation. What was taking the heroes so long? Surely they hadn't _all_ gotten caught in the traps? They were heroes after all!

He ran the battle plan over in his head for the tenth time in a row.

The Count's head snapped up at the sounds of footsteps behind him. Whirling around, he found that it was only his secretary.

"Leave me, Nastasia. Count Bleck wishes to fight the heroes alone," He said, irritated.

"Yeah, um, I understand Count, but," she put her head down, and took in a big breath. "I… I guess I just… don't want you to do anything, um… _reckless_." She paused, stealing a glance at the Count to see his reaction.

"What makes you think Count Bleck would do anything reckless?"

Nastasia's gaze drifted to the floor once more. "Well, uh, you _have_ been acting a little, um, _strange…_ lately. And you've um, mentioned a lost girlfriend once or twice."

"And _that _is reckless?"

"Well, you're trying to end all worlds _just because of her._ I think that's a bit-"

"Leave, Nastasia. _Now._" Count Bleck pointed towards the door and Nastasia's eyes widened.

"But, Blumiere—"

"That is _enough!_"

Nastasia's eyes filled with sadness. She nodded and backed away towards the door slowly. "Um… o-okay…" she whispered, before exiting the room quietly.

Count Bleck removed his white top hat and ran a hand through his short, black hair. He sighed deeply. That was the harshest he had ever been with one of his minions. Looking down, he saw that his hands were trembling.

"Am I really going to do this?" he whispered. "Am I really going to end all worlds, just for Timpani?" he clutched his head, letting out a cry of exasperation. "And by ending all worlds I'll be ending her too! I can feel her presence in the Castle now, getting closer, and I've seen her too! She's not in the same body, but she is still the same beautiful Timpani, _my _Timpani! And now I'm going to kill her, along with everyone else! What am I thinking?" Yet a second voice still nagged at him, in the back of his head, telling him it was too late now. What was done had already been set in stone. There was no turning back.

"If I stop now, what will happen to the Chaos heart? It has already been called upon by Count Bleck, and it shows no intent of leaving until I die, or everyone else does. And even if I _could _stop this now, Timpani would never love me again. Look at what I've done to her already!"

Count Bleck's intense pep-talk would have continued, were it not for the sound of a door opening at the other side of the room.

A man and a pixl entered: Mario, the first hero, and his butterfly pixl, Tippi.

Count Bleck stared at the pixl, and Tippi looked away. _She hates me,_ he thought. _She'll never love me again. My precious Timpani… she hates me…_

"Count Bleck," Mario scoffed. "Are you prepared to end all of this madness?"

He nodded in reply. "I am prepared to do whatever it takes to destroy everything and create a better, perfect world."

"Why are you doing this, Blumiere?" Tippi cried. "I thought you cared about me, and now you're going about destroying the worlds? This isn't the Blumiere I used to love! This is a maniac!"

"No, Timpani." Count Bleck sighed. "I'm not Blumiere anymore. I am Count Bleck! And I am destined to be this way! The prophecy does not lie!"

"Then you're willing to die," Tippi said, her voice heavy with grief. "Because that's what the prophecy says."

Count Bleck flinched inwardly at her words, but didn't show it. Instead, he pointed his scepter towards Mario and the pixl, and prepared to start the battle, when, to his surprise, the door opened again and two more heroes, Bowser and Peach, walked in.

Mario smiled happily at the sight of them both, but it instantly fell the moment the door closed behind them. "Where's Luigi?" he asked, trying to keep the panic from slipping into his voice.

"Dunno," Bowser growled. "After the ceiling closed on O'Chunks and I, we woke up in the kitchen. I tried to find you, but only found Peach."

"After I fell through the floor I remember waking up on a couch," Peach continued. "Bowser and I found each other and walked the rest of the way here, but we never saw Luigi."

"He must really be dead, then," Tippi whispered.

Mario nodded solemnly.

"W-what do you mean?" Peach exclaimed. "How did he die?"

"I think," Mario sighed. "He got caught in one of Dimentio's explosion boxes. Tippi and I were in the hallway, and all we heard was…"

Count Bleck's eyes widened at Mario's statement. _So, Dimentio's room never set off its trap. Dimentio killed Luigi his own way._Not only did that make him worry about Luigi, but Dimentio too. If Dimentio hadn't been caught in the trap he might interrupt the battle, and then Count Bleck's plan would be ruined. If Luigi was dead, the prophecy might be altered. This could also change his plans and result in either the survival of the worlds or, worse, the survival of him.

Either way, he wanted to get this over with.

Black and purple lightning crackled and split the air as Count Bleck raised his diamond-tipped scepter above his head. Out of nowhere, the Chaos Heart suddenly appeared and descended upon the Count. Once it reached his body, it floated in front of him for a second, and then was seemingly absorbed into his body, as it disappeared.

Immediately, a dark purple barrier surrounded him, making him invincible.

The three remaining heroes assumed battle stances, and Tippi fluttered nearby with unseen anxiety at the sight of her once-true-love becoming a monster right in front of her eyes.

"Tippi," Mario commanded. "Analyze him. What are his weaknesses?"

Tippi sighed. She didn't even have to scan him to know what his weakness was. "His only weakness is… love." She choked out the last word, knowing his love for her was the only reason any of this had ever happened. Her mind was suddenly bombarded with memories of Blumiere and her, sitting on a grassy hill; smiling and laughing together. Accompanying this was a darker memory, one of her and a young boy, sitting alone in a small, cold room...

"Love?" Peach repeated, ripping the pixl from her memories. "How do we—wait…" Suddenly, it clicked. "We could use the Pure Hearts! Their love could counteract the hate that the Chaos Heart is creating, and break his barrier!"

"Right," Bowser growled. "But where are the Pure Hearts? Didn't we kinda leave them at Flipside? In the pillar thingies?"

Although Mario nodded, Tippi shook her small head.

"No," she started, but it was already too late.

Count Bleck, not wanting to wait any longer, had sent a large circle towards the four. It looked like a miniature void, and as soon as it reached Bowser, he was swept off his feet and into the swirling chaos, his HP slowly being eaten away by the mini-void.

"Bowser!" Peach cried. She immediately began to pull him out, and he was soon in a dazed pile on the floor.

"D-don't… go in there…" was all Bowser managed to say, before another mini-void was launched at them. This one was easily avoided.

Mario ran at the Count and jumped on his head. The barrier protected him, however, and the hero bounced right off.

Two more void circles were flung at them. Peach jumped over one of them, but Bowser couldn't jump that high, and ended up landing right in the middle again, arms flailing.

"BLARGH! GET ME OUTTA HERE!"

Peach complied, and Bowser was soon on his feet again.

Count Bleck suddenly threw his arms out to the side, and a pale green-blue horizontal line split through the air. Each hero was frozen in mid-step, and as Count Bleck thrust his scepter towards them, mini-void globs engulfed them, taking away eight HP each.

They were then unceremoniously flung to the ground, groaning in pain.

Count Bleck only laughed.

"Stop this, Blumiere!" Tippi exclaimed, on the verge of tears. "Or rather, Count Bleck."

Stiffening, Count Bleck narrowed his eyes at that statement.

And that was when the void hit Tippi.


	3. But We Exploded!

Chapter Three: But We Exploded!

Everyone in the room froze as the blast of magic struck Tippi. The small pixl flopped pitifully to the ground, unmoving.

Dimentio watched as all of this happened from his invisible post high above everyone's heads, silently laughing to himself with that ever-present smile on his face.

_Count Bleck really is quite stupid, _Dimentio thought. _I'd bet my entire jester outfit that he'll break down soon, all because of his love for the woman who stole…her. _

Count Bleck sank to his knees, clutching his head and curling into a ball on the floor. "No," he moaned. "I've come this far…and now I've…_killed_ her."

Dimentio groaned inwardly. _You're not the only one who's come this far. You've dragged all three of your loyal minions through this as well. Or, rather, two loyal minions…and me. _

The heroes shared a glance with each other. Finally, Mario took a step towards Tippi, kneeling down to inspect her.

"_Don't touch her._" The Count's voice came in a harsh tone, nearly to the point of being hysterical. He struggled to stand, before taking a step towards the motionless pixl.

_"Now, now, I do believe that is a good place for you to stop!" _

Before anyone had any time to react, a swirling block of purple and yellow magic flew towards the Count. When it made contact however, it was not the Count it hit, but Nastasia.

The pink-haired secretary fell to the ground with a soft _thud_.

Dimentio appeared above Count Bleck, swirling a second ball of magic in his hand. "Silly woman," he laughed. "Taking the blow that was meant for the Count, how hopeless! No matter, he will die soon enough!" Dimentio lunged strait towards Count Bleck, magic at the ready.

_STOMP_

Before he could dodge it, Mario came crashing down upon Dimentio's head with his steel-toed boots, sending him hurtling to the ground. Peach was waiting for him when he struggled to his feet, and he got a mouthful of parasol before he was on the ground again. Of course, Bowser _had_ to be standing over him, and the next thing he knew, he was seeing red, orange, yellow and white.

Dimentio barely dodged the flame, although the tip of his poncho caught on fire, and he began to roll on the ground frantically, trying to put it out. When it was finally extinguished, he wearily attempted to get up, before falling to the floor once more.

The heroes gathered around him; Bowser pulled out a stick with a fork taped to it and began to poke him with it.

Suddenly, Dimentio's eyes snapped open, and he disappeared, before reappearing above them. Instead of just one Dimentio, however, there were three, one above each hero.

At the same time, a powerful orb of magic knocked each of the heroes to the ground, and then Dimentio was gone.

Count Bleck slowly dropped to his knees, glancing around at the fallen bodies in despair. His head spun and he slumped against the wall, moaning.

"How could the tables turn so quickly?" he muttered. "One moment I'm fighting the heroes, and the next they're fighting to save me!" He put his head in his hands. "And I've killed her! My poor Timpani!"

* * *

Mimi dragged her feet as she slowly made her way down the hallway, hugging the remains of Dimentio's hat tightly to her chest.

"I can't believe it! Why would he kill himself? _Why?_" She knew Dimentio had always been a bit mysterious, but she didn't figure he'd go and commit suicide like that!

Eventually, she reached the living room, where she flopped onto the couch wearily; tiny sobs escaping her mouth.

"Are ye alright, lass?" O'Chunks lumbered down the stairs and into the room, coming up behind Mimi. "Them 'eroes didn't beat yeh to 'ard did they?"

"N-no," she squeaked. "I-it's j-j-just…" Suddenly, she burst into tears, sobbing and hiccupping loudly. "D-d-dim-my's… d-dead! He's dead!"

"Whuh?" O'Chunks rounded the corner of the couch, stopping in front of Mimi, who launched herself into his arms. "'Ow did 'e-"

"I-it wasn't the h-hero's f-fault, h-he, he killed himself!"

O'Chunks' eyes widened. "I always knew tha' the jester was crazeh."

"No!" Mimi cried, on the verge of screaming. "He's not crazy! I don't know why he did it, but it's not because he's crazy! He must be hurt, or sad, or lonely, or…"

"_Simply enraged by the _stupid_ decisions of a certain Count..."_

Mimi broke away from O'Chunks, glancing around the empty room. "Who said that?"

Dimentio came into view behind her. "Do you not recognize my voice, Mimi dear?"

"Dimmy!" Mimi spun around and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him downwards. Fresh tears formed in her eyes as she squeezed her friend. "You're not dead! How did you survive the explosion?"

"I _can_ teleport."

"Wait jus' a second now," O'Chunks barged in. "Yeh were jus' sayin' yeh were mad at teh Count. An' jus' why is that?"

"Ah, O'Chunks, you're such a—"

"Don't you say it, jester!"

Dimentio resisted the urge to stick his tongue out at the Scotsman. "Have you no clue what Count Bleck has done to us? And what he is planning to do to us? He is a fiend! A fake! And he's going to—"

"Yeh don't know anything! You're the fiend!"

"_I_ don't know anything? _You_ obviously—"

"Shut yer face!"

"Stop interrupting me!"

"GUYS!"

Mimi stomped the ground angrily. "I don't even know what's going on! I mean, Dimmy, you were supposed to be dead, and then you weren't dead! And now you're trying to convince us that the Count is a fiend?" She glanced back and forth between the two males. "I'm so confused!"

Dimentio sighed and put a hand to his head. "I see no one understands. Very well, I suppose I shall have to settle this _my _way." He snapped his fingers, and all three of them suddenly disappeared.

* * *

A green clad man woke up in a similarly colored dimension. Luigi groaned and shook his head, glancing around the small, pixilated Dimension D. As soon as he recognized where he was, Luigi jumped to his feet.

"What? I'm not dead?"

"Nor am I."

Luigi gasped and spun around to face Dimentio, who had just popped into the dimension, ever-present smile pasted on his masked face. Mimi and O'Chunks appeared next to him, looking about as confused as he was.

"B-but…we exploded!"

Dimentio let out a sigh of exasperation. "Does no one remember that I can teleport?"

O'Chunks burst into the conversation angrily. "Why are we 'ere, jester? Tell meh now, or Ah'll give yeh a taste o' me chunks!"

Dimentio grimaced.

"Yeah, Dimmy," Mimi continued. "What are you going to do to us?"

"I'm not going to do anything to you. I'm keeping you here so I can talk to you without you running away. So, you three line up over there," he pointed to a wall, "and listen to what I have to say."

"Ah don't you try, jester! I'm stayin' right where I am!" O'Chunks stubbornly sat on the ground.

Dimentio facepalmed. "O'Chunks you- You know what, just sit on the ground then!"

Luigi and Mimi sat as the teen boy paced the air above their heads.

Dimentio suddenly froze. "Wait. I've been in here for about five minutes already!" He turned to the three on the floor. "Okay, I'll explain why later, but who will fight against the Count with me?"

O'Chunks immediately said, "No! I always knew yeh were crazeh! Yer gonna betray the Count!"

Mimi and Luigi both jumped to they're feet.

"Why, Dimmy?" Mimi questioned. "I thought you were fighting for the Count with us!"

"I have no time to explain, Mimi! Either come with me or stay here, but you must decide now."

"I ain't goin' wit' the likes o' you." O'Chunks grumbled.

Mimi bit her lower lip. "I-I-I… I'm sorry, Dimmy, but… I don't understand why… we would even want…to betray Count Bleck. I…I'm not going to come."

Dimentio winced. "Then I guess it's just you and me, L."

"W-w-what?" Luigi exclaimed.

Dimentio suddenly grabbed him by the shoulders, snapping his fingers. Luigi fell to the ground. Dimentio swooped down and caught him, teleporting them both out of the dimension.

Mimi's eyes widened. "Did he just say…? 'L'?"

* * *

Timpani watched through a haze as Blumiere moved towards her. She tried desperately to flutter even a single wing, to show that she was alive, but the shot of magic she had been hit with had completely paralyzed her.

"Timpani… my beautiful Timpani." He scooped up the small pixl into his arms.

Timpani chuckled to herself. She loved Blumiere with the entirety of her heart, and hoped they would soon be together again. However, what he was saying now was completely different from what he said _before _she got shot. Was it the guilt? Or something else?

One by one the heroes got up off the ground, groaning in pain. Peach and Mario limped towards them; the plumber placing a hand on Blumiere's shoulder.

"You're going to have to let her go, Count. She's dead."

Tippi struggled to say something. She wasn't dead yet!

"No," Count Bleck growled. "Stay away from me!" His eyes were beginning to turn black, glowing with pain, regret, anger…

"He's gone mad! Bowser shouted. "Look at the crazed look in his eyes! I think he's got rabies!"

"Count Bleck," Mario commanded. "Dimentio is sure to be back soon, and we've got to stop him when he does! So you need to snap out of it and focus!"

"Once we're done with this he'd better be sent to the Mushroom Kingdom Insane Asylum! He's gone far enough with the whole 'destroy the worlds' thing! He might try to kill us all!" Bowser was running in circles, continuing to ramble about Count Bleck.

_ Blumiere, if only you knew I was alive! _Tippi lamented. She glanced upwards, catching a glimpse of her lover's darkening eyes, and she suddenly realized, it wasn't guilt that was making him crazed like this, it was the Chaos Heart.

Then the dark aura that once surrounded Blumiere faded, and was replaced by a sense of defeat. His eyes glazed over, suddenly becoming weak and tired.

"Please listen," Peach sighed. "You mustn't—"

The princess was cut off abruptly as both Count Bleck and Tippi were suddenly enclosed by a transparent yellow box.

_"Ahahahahaha! I have you now!"_

None other than Dimentio popped into view, hovering above the box. Hanging in the air next to was him Luigi, limbs dangling lifelessly.

"Luigi!" Peach and Mario cried simultaneously.

Tippi watched with grief as the jester hurled the poor green man to the ground, a sickening _thud _resounding as he landed.

While the three conscious heroes tended to Luigi, Dimentio hovered nearer to the box, a wild grin on his face. "I'll bet you feel absolutely _terrible_ Count! Why, a king, beaten to the ground by his own jester! What a shame!"

Tippi's mind suddenly collapsed in on her, and her eyes were filled with scenes depicting a noble man, an evil witch, and a worm of some sort. Images flashed by, before finally stopping at a scene of a temple sitting alone on top of a snowy mountain.

A gasp from her lips startled the man cradling her, and Blumiere glanced in her direction.

Finding her voice, Tippi turned towards the boy floating outside the cube. "Let us out, Dimentio. You can't—"

"Ahaha! But I can! I can do what ever I want! And right now, I want that Chaos Heart of yours, Count, and half of your spirit, Tippi. I can only get what I want by killing both of you, so, ciao!"

Hearing this, Mario turned away from Luigi and tried to jump on the jester.

"Ah ah ah!" Dimentio chided, pursing two fingers together, readying his snap. "I've come this far, and nothing can stop me now!"

The fingers slid against each other, creating a snapping noise, and Tippi yelped in pain as an explosion threw her and Blumiere to the side of the box. Several more followed, and with each one she could fell her body weakening. Finally, she gasped her last breath, and watched the world fade to darkness.


	4. Do You Remember?

Chapter Four: Do You Remember?

_I remember the day we first met, under that little cliff. A bright and sunny day, you had taken a fall, and I helped you to your feet. We looked into each other's eyes, and I knew there was something special about you._

_ I remember how fate brought us together a week later, in the marketplace. We both smiled as we instantly recognized each other._

_ I remember how, after that, we would "accidentally" meet alone somewhere, usually the same cliff where we met, and how that became the place we'd always go. _

_ I remember the day I met your father. He was nice at first, but I could tell by the way he looked at me that he didn't like me. I was different. You were different. Together we were a conflict, he said._

_ I remember how you told me we could only meet at night from then on, hiding in the shadows, alone but safe and happy. _

_ I remember when suddenly we weren't alone anymore. I remember the day your father followed you to our hiding place, how he told you we couldn't be together anymore. _

_ I remember your desperate attempts to change his mind, and how he saw that there was only one way to split us up._

_ I remember how your father turned on me, killing my body right in front of you, the look of pure terror in your eyes, and the newfound hatred for your own father. _

_I remember how I was still alive, my soul trapped between the wings of a pixl butterfly. You thought I was dead._

_ I remember the day we were reunited, but the man I saw was only a shell of who you used to be. I remember how you had changed your name, and pretended you didn't know me. _

_I remember the final fight, the greatest amongst our other fights, and how you nearly killed my soul and its new body._

_I remember how the greater evil entered our lives, threatening both of us. I remember how the old you returned, and how you looked into my eyes, using your last breath to say the words I had been waiting my whole life to hear…_

"I love you, Timpani."

"And I love you too, Blumiere."

_I remember the pain as we were killed together, but also the happiness I felt at finally being with you again._

_And then…I remember not being able to remember anymore…_

* * *

Mario finally uncovered his ears as the all-too-familiar sound of explosions finally stopped. He opened his eyes and looked to the place where the two lovers once stood, hopeful, but knowing what he'd see.

However, Mario was unprepared for what he _did_ see.

Rising out of the soot was the Chaos Heart.

"Aha ha ha ha ha ha!" Dimentio laughed evilly. He glided smoothly towards it, grin growing wider as he approached the powerful heart.

Mario ran forwards, preparing to kick the jester away from the Chaos Heart, but was immediately shot down with magic. He got up, Peach and Bowser by his side, and readied for another attack.

"_Stop_!" Dimentio commanded, suddenly pulling Luigi's body through the air to rest beside him. "If you attack me, Mr. L will die."

"He's not Mr. L anymore!" Peach interjected. "He's Luigi!"

Dimentio frowned, looking at Luigi. "I suppose you're right. But I'll have to change that. With a snap of his fingers, Luigi's eyes snapped open, and suddenly he was surrounded by electric red lines. Luigi moaned, and his eyes rolled back into his head. A strangled noise came from his throat as his eyes completed the full rotation, now pure silver in color instead of blue.

The lines alternated between red and blue, now completely engulfing Luigi. When they finally disappeared, Luigi looked exactly like Mr. L.

_He was Mr. L._

Dimentio then promptly threw his body towards the Chaos Heart.

The heroes screamed as Mr. L's body was consumed by the heart, now transforming, twisting, and taking the form of a giant mixture of Luigi and…Dimentio. It had long, lanky limbs, with the hands, feet and head of Luigi. The body was basically a giant Dimentio-like poncho, except now it looked more like a skirt.

The jester giggled insanely and threw himself into the mouth of the concoction, bringing it to life.

The eyes of the giant creature began to glow, and he tilted back his head, letting out a terrible, grating screech, equivalent to a million nails scratching on a chalkboard all at once. He laughed demonically.

**"**_**I AM CHAOS!"**_

The voice that came from its mouth was indescribable, other than to say it was inhuman.

Mario's head whipped from side to side, looking for anything that could possibly get them out of this situation. The heroes backed towards the wall as the grotesque monster stomped closer and closer.

One more step and he'd crush them…

Bowser breathed fire on the giant foot about to crush them, but it did nothing.

It seemed they only had moments to live…

Suddenly, a blinding flash lit up the room, and everyone froze, even Chaos Dimentio.

Up from the ashes of the explosions rose the Purity Heart, glowing with radiance. It flew faster that lightning toward Dimentio, striking hard, knocking him to the ground. The heart sank deep within his body, lighting up the entire monster, before spontaneously combusting.

The heroes were thrown against the wall by yet another explosion, coughing as dust and shrapnel entered their mouths and noses. When it all cleared, they gasped at what they saw.

Luigi was standing firm in a pile of rubbish, blue eyes gleaming; a small smile on his face. Dimentio was lying on the ground next to him, covered in soot, and surrounded by a puddle of black blood. He coughed, and more of the substance spewed from his mouth, splattering across the floor. His mask had been burned away from his face, the edges of it cauterized painfully to his skin. Patches of his clothing had been torn away, leaving him in rags. Despite all of this, he managed to struggle to his feet.

"I'm n-not finished with you y-yet," he rasped, a throaty, dry sound. "I'll k-kill you all." And with that, he fled the scene, leaving the stunned heroes to reunite with their friend and brother.

* * *

_BANG_

_ BANG_

_ BANG_

_ BANG_

"O'Chunks, will you quit it? You're giving me a headache!"

"Whinin' ain't gonna git us outta 'ere, Mimi. Yeh gotta do somethin'!"

Mimi and O'Chunks were still stuck in Dimension D, trying to get out. (Or, at least, O'Chunks was, but banging on the walls didn't do much). They had been in there for over an hour, and were very suspicious as to what was going on with Dimentio.

Suddenly, everything got darker. Mimi shrieked, and jumped to her feet.

Or, at least she _tried _to jump to her feet.

Both Mimi and O'Chunks found they suddenly could not move.

A third presence entered the room: Dimentio.

Frightened by his sudden entrance and over-all appearance, Mimi screamed. "Dimentio! What the heck happened to you? What's going on?"

Dimentio waved his hand, and the two were brought in front of him, side by side, feet dangling in the air, and arms held out to the side, parallel with the ground. A low chuckle rumbled in the jester's throat, and he reached behind his back, pulling out a long rod with a blue jewel at one end.

O'Chunks gasped. "Wadya think yer doing with teh Count's scepter, yeh fiend! Ah'll kill yeh fer this!"

Dimentio's chuckling deepened, and he thrust the scepter forward, stopping it right in front of the Scottish man's neck. He brought his scarred face inches away from O'Chunks' scowl, a grin splitting his expression. "_Oh_, on the contrary, my _dear friend_. _You'll _be the _one_ to _die._"

Bringing emphasis upon his last word, Dimentio drove the diamond tip of the scepter into O'Chunks' throat, producing a strangled cry from the Scottish warrior. Mimi wailed in terror, and she immediately broke down, sobbing, heartbroken.

Dimentio drew the weapon from its place, approaching Mimi slowly. Mimi began to hyperventilate. "No! No, no, no, Dimmy, no! Don't kill me, please, I don't want to die! Don't do it, Dimmy, please, stop! Stop!"

And Dimentio did stop. For a moment, Mimi saw something flash in his eyes, and they softened. In an instant, it was gone and they hardened again, glaring at the green girl.

"Stop? Why would I stop? I've finally gotten everything I had ever strived to achieve! A perfect world, with no love, just what father always wanted!"

Mimi was suddenly overwhelmed with sadness. So, Dimentio had succeeded. He had killed the heroes, and now everything was being sucked into the void, and Dimentio was going to kill his own friends as his first act as ruler of his own world. All just for his father.

_His father…?_

Mimi's thoughts were interrupted as the tip of the scepter worked its way through her flesh, meeting with her heart, and all was lost to endless darkness.

* * *

"We've gotta find that crazed lunatic!"

"He's gotta be here somewhere!"

"Where did he go?"

"I'm so confused!"

The four reunited heroes were scrambling down the hallway, trying their hardest to find Dimentio before he could reopen the void, and kill him before he could wreak havoc on the rest of the worlds.

Bowser growled. "We'll never find him in time! Where the heck is he?"

"Relax, Bowser," Mario sighed. "He's still here."

Bowser glared at him indignantly. "How do you know? Are you like, psychic or something?"

"NO! I just…I just know."

"Uh-huh. Suuuure. And Luigi loves dark, scary places."

Luigi shivered_. "I do_ _not…"_

"Quiet you guys!" Peach shushed them, gesturing to a door down the hallway. "I can hear something."

Mario gave Bowser a smug look that said 'I told you so,' and sauntered down the hall, putting an ear to the door.

From behind, it sounded like someone was having an emotional breakdown.

"Ehehee…those fools finally got what they deserved!"

"How could I kill them? What is wrong with me?"

"Aha ha ha! No one can stop me now! No one can stand in my way!"

"I'm such an idiot! A fool! Turning against my closest friends!"

"Heh… I'm so evil."

"Nobody understands me…"

"Father will be proud!"

"Mimi! Poor Mimi!"

"I WILL RULE THE WORLDS!"

Taken aback by this sudden outburst, the heroes stumbled backwards, and Luigi darted behind the back of his older brother. Mario, Peach and Bowser exchanged a glace; then nodded. Bowser gave a hand signal, and burst through the doorway with a mighty kick, breaking the door in two.

Dimentio was inside the room, a small storage area, curled up in a ball on the floor, still muttering things to himself.

His eyes were shifting, converting, becoming cold and hard, then worried and soft, then dark and depressed; constantly changing with every sentence. He didn't even look up when the four entered, not until Peach stood over him, something like pity in her gentle gaze.

"He's definitely still being influenced by some sort of darkness," she whispered. She moved her hand to lay it on his shoulder, waiting to see how he would react. Seeing as he didn't even move an inch under her touch, she slowly picked him up, bringing him to his feet. Mario moved to her side. Peach sniffed.

"Do we really have to do this?"

"It's for the best, Peach. We have to."

She nodded warily, and took hold of one of Dimentio's wrists, expecting a struggle, but only receiving a dazed look from the scarred boy.

With Mario and Peach restraining Dimentio, Bowser stepped forward.

Dimentio's head suddenly snapped upwards, a confused and terrified look on his face. "Don't kill me," he said, in a surprisingly calm voice. "I'm only a child; seventeen. I'm too young to die." He swayed before suddenly stiffening, his expression turning corrupt and twisted. "And if you so much as try to lay a hand on me I'll pull your intestines out through your stomach and dangle you from the balcony while you're still alive to feel the pain." His voice remained chillingly calm even as he said this; it almost sounded soothing. His eyes became vacant once more, and he fell limp in his captors' hold.

"Kill him now," Luigi whimpered from his point of standby. "Before he wakes up and…"

Bowser waved a hand at him to shush him. Taking a big breath, he gathered the heat within him, and, exhaling through his nose, let a thick plume of flame fly out of his mouth.

Dimentio woke right before the fire hit his body, and he screamed as the flame engulfed him. The scream lowered into a child-like wail, then to a soft whimper. Finally, the smoke cleared and the heroes found that all that was left of the teenage jester was ashes and a clean, brand-new-looking mask.

Mario bent down and picked it up. It shined despite the fact that they were indoors, and was cool, even though Dimentio had just been burned to death.

The fact that Dimentio wasn't even wearing a mask when he died also puzzled them.

After making one last complete round through the castle to make sure Dimentio was actually gone, the heroes left through the return pipe, going back to Flipside. They explained the story to Merlon, who told them to watch out for the maniacal jester in the future, and then they all continued on with their normal lives.

And that is where the heroes' story ends.

* * *

Dimentio groaned and rolled over onto his back, awake, but not wanting to open his eyes. _What just happened? _He thought. All he could remember was watching Count Bleck and…Tippi… die. After that, he only remembered darkness.

He could feel a hard surface beneath him, like stone, and he could tell that he wasn't wearing his mask or hat.

He cracked and eye open, only to immediately squeeze it shut as he saw where he was._ No… I can't be here, not in this horrible place. Not before I've completed my task…Why did this all have to end so soon?_ He shivered, before opening both eyes and standing up.

Ice blue stone walls surrounded him, forming a circular temple. The walls rose about four feet in solid brick, with stone pillars another six feet tall on top of it. The ceiling was cone-shaped, the tip of it making the temple about twelve feet tall altogether. Its diameter was about twelve feet as well. At one end was a small entrance, though no one could exit through it.

The entire building was on top of a tall, snowy mountain.

Dimentio clenched his hands into fists, angrily stomping over to the wall. He leaned against it and looked out at the mountain, tears of rage trickling down his cheek.

**"HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?" **He roared. **"WHY AM I BACK IN THIS DESPICABLE PLACE? HOW COULD I BE **_**DEAD?"**_

He stiffened as he heard the sound of footsteps behind him. _No… not him…_

"Dimentio. You're back."

He drew a shaky breath, not wanting this to be real. "Yes."

"Have you succeeded?"

Dimentio winced, more tears falling onto his face. He gulped and whispered, "No…Father."


	5. Welcome to Paradise

Worlds Apart Chapter Five: Welcome to Paradise

"You've again failed to bring her back to me."

"Yes, father."

"You've once more failed to do what I asked, failed your assignment."

"I'm sorry, father."

"You're a fool."

Dimentio clenched his teeth, balling his fists at his sides.

"And I'll treat you like any other fool."

The first blow of the powerful obsidian staff struck his right shoulder, causing him to stumble to the left. He bit back a cry of pain, trying to appear strong. Dimentio spun around to face his father head-on, standing strait and firm, refusing to show weakness.

His father was a tall, powerful figure; an ever-present stern look on his face. His eyes were a piercing, cold, ice blue, narrowed in disgust. He had jet black, shoulder length hair. A dark navy robe covered his body, with a light blue pattern like the stars woven into it. In his hand he held a long scepter made of obsidian, a sparkling diamond embedded on the top. His arms were crossed in front of him, covered in the long sleeves of the robe, with a silky white fabric bordering the cuffs.

He took an imposing step towards Dimentio, never breaking eye contact with his son. "I gave you a second chance, Dimentio, and you failed. For this, you must pay." Uncrossing his arms, he brought his scepter out to his side.

Dimentio tensed. He could not use his powers in this place; the magical barrier that prevented anyone from leaving also prevented any magic of any kind from working. The staff swung in from the left, and Dimentio ducked, somersaulting in the direction the strike came from, recovering quickly and standing back on his feet.

"Why can't you just love me like a normal father would?" He cried. "Why can't you treat me like your son?" He leaped backwards to avoid another attack.

His father lazily swung towards Dimentio's head. "After everything you've done, I hardly wish to even call you my son!" Dimentio dodged left, and then continued to circle around his father. "You've taken everything away from me! My wife, my home, my world, even my life! And you've failed to bring back any of it! You can't even create a perfect world for me!"

"But that wasn't even my fault!" Dimentio ran to the other side of the temple, hoping for a moment of rest. He wasn't used to running so much, as he had been floating around for nearly all of his time in the real worlds. "And I _did _create a perfect world! It just…didn't work out completely right..."

* * *

"Oh, would you look at how hurt she is!"

"D'ya think she'll be alright, sis?"

"I hope so. Looks like she's been beaten up pretty bad."

"Will that affect the taste at all?"

"Hopefully not. I wouldn't want to eat anything rotten."

Mimi jolted awake. She shot up; taking in the room she was in. It looked like a kitchen; she was lying on a table. "Wait, WHAT?" You're going to _eat _me?" The next thing she noticed was the other two occupants of the room. They stood tall and upright, but looked like a cross between a rabbit and a cat. They had long ears, big eyes, whiskers, fluffy white fur, and a long tail. They both backed away from the table almost fearfully.

The male spoke with wonder. "You…can talk? Trags don't talk!"

Mimi raised an eyebrow. "Um, what's a Trag?"

The female stepped forward. "You're not a Trag?"

"No."

"Then…what are you?"

Mimi shook her head, confusion evident in her expression. "Okay, look, I'm a _human_, and I have no clue where the heck I am, or why I'm here, because the last thing I remember is _dying._ And I know for sure that this isn't the Overthere. Or the Underwhere for that matter."

The creatures' faces reflected her own. "I can't recall either of those places," the female stated. "And I've never heard of humans."

"Wonderful," Mimi muttered. "So, who are you? Where am I? And why did you try to eat me?"

The creatures glanced at each other, and then the male replied slowly. "I'm Dekka, and this is my sister, Lasu." He motioned to the female creature next to him. "We're a species known as Kinto. We mainly eat Trag, a species that looks very similar to your 'humans,' except with shorter hind legs that are good for running on all fours. I assume you walk on your hind legs?"

Mimi nodded. "Most humans actually aren't green. They usually have a fleshy, light pinkish color."

"What's your name, dear?" Lasu asked.

"Mimi."

"Well, Mimi," Lasu smiled. "Welcome to Paradise."

* * *

Blumiere drowsily opened his eyes, taking in his blurry surroundings. He sat up, realizing he was currently resting in a large, grassy field. He couldn't see anything else; only leafy blades all the way up to the horizon.

Well, except for his hat. It was lying a few feet away from him, upright.

Wearily getting to his feet, Blumiere wandered over, picked up his hat and placed it on his head. He noticed something was underneath it, so he knelt down and picked it up.

"…Timpani?"

The small pixl slowly looked up at him, and said, "No. I'm Tippi."

Blumiere screamed and threw the pixl, scrambling backwards. For the voice that came from the pixl was not Timpani, but a voice he'd never heard before.

Tippi rose into the air, flapping her tiny pixl wings. She fluttered forward, and Blumiere leaned backwards, a look of terror and confusion on his face.

"Who…who are you?"

"What, you've never seen a pixl before?" Tippi laughed. "Well, I guess most people haven't."

"What have you done with Timpani?" Blumiere demanded. "Why isn't she a pixl anymore? Is she dead?" he paused. "Or human again?"

"Timpani? You mean the girl who stole my body? I'm not sure," Tippi spun around in the air, "but it sure is great to be back!"

"Stole your body? What do you mean? Tell me what you mean!"

Tippi sighed. "Look, I don't know where your Timpani is, but if I had to guess, I'd say Aldrik has her. And-"

"Who's Aldrik?"

Tippi glared at him. "Let me finish. The only way to get to Aldrik is to travel through Lightshadow Forest and climb Paradox Mountain. It's a very dangerous hike and it takes days to complete, not to mention it's in Paradox. No mortal has ever survived coming back from Paradox."

Blumiere drew a deep breath. "Okay. Answer me these questions: Who is Aldrik, what is Paradox, where am I, and am I dead?"

Tippi hesitated. "Alright. This may be a lot to take in, but here's what happened to you:

"You died, yes, but you have been allowed a second life for one of two reasons. Either you died unexpectedly when you weren't supposed to, or you were killed indirectly by Aldrik in some way. This place that you now find yourself in is called Paradise.

"Aldrik is the ruler of this place, in a way. He's a mage who lives in a temple in Paradox, which is a place connected to Paradise by a gateway in Lightshadow forest. He's evil, but in a more…insane way. He's been through a lot in his life; his late wife was very wicked, and treated him poorly. It was she who made me this way, as I was once human too. I assume Timpani was transferred into this body as well by the same spell that was cast on me, but I'm not sure. I can't remember anything after she inhabited this body."

Blumiere put a hand to his chin in thought. "This 'Aldrik.' Is he from the Tribe of Darkness?"

Tippi laughed. "He's only the founder of the Tribe of Darkness!" She glanced at him. "Are you as well?"

"Yes."

"I should have known. Not many people have blue skin as dark as yours."

Blumiere sat up strait. "There are other people here?"

"Yes," Tippi replied. "Beings of all different species."

"Could you take me to them?"

Tippi fluttered upwards. "Of course. There's a small town not far from here." She headed off in a direction away from Blumiere. "Just follow me."

Blumiere slowly got to his feet and started after her, muttering to himself, "What have I gotten myself into?"


End file.
